Since challenges of sustainable development have a high degree of complexity and uncertainty, different perspectives, approaches and knowledge resources are needed to deal with them and to develop options for action. Therefore, in research and teaching on sustainable development interdisciplinarity (cooperation of representatives of different disciplines or subjects) and transdisciplinarity (cooperation of science and practice) are required.
Marco Riekmann is professor for didactics in higher education with a research focus on key competencies and part of the CASE team at the University of Vechta. In his latest article “Transdisziplinäre Forschung und Lehre als Brücke zwischen Zivilgesellschaft und Hochschulen” (“Transdisciplinary research and teaching as a bridge between civil society and universities”) he 
gives an overview of the concepts of sustainability sciences and transdisciplinarity as well as the importance of transdisciplinary research and teaching. In addition, transdisciplinary project-based courses at the University of Vechta are described, and based on this experience, potentials and hurdles of transdisciplinary collaboration of civil society organisations and universities are reflected.
